


Rust and Iridescence

by Anonymous



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-Weirdmageddon, Sea Grunkles, Smut, Stancest - Freeform, in the second chapter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-02
Updated: 2016-12-06
Packaged: 2018-08-28 14:14:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8449396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Stan is full of surprises. Ford has to decide whether he likes that or not.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kaiju_Baby](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaiju_Baby/gifts).



> Wrote this for Stanpining as a birthday gift. Was planning on making this longer, but I wanted to get this out today. I'll push the rest of it to a second chapter.

Stan and Ford traveled on foot through the remote rain forest. The encompassing blanket of fog made it impossible to tell it was midday.

Ford could faintly hear Stan uttering annoyed grunts on occasion. He knew this wasn't the most settling environment, and Ford had to sympathize with him. They'd been walking through drenched forestry for what felt like hours, and he wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"Would you judge me if I said this place gives me the creeps. We always end up going to some weird places on your scavenger hunts, Sixer."

"Wet leaves stuck in your hair. Ground water soaking through your boots. What's not to love?" Ford boomed with ironic enthusiasm, bringing his eyes away from the map in his hands.

"What, did Princess Unattainabelle mess up her hair and slippers? What's next, you gotta change your skirt when we get back to the boat?"

"...Aaaaanyway, we should be closing in on our destination," Ford grumbled, pretending not to hear his brother, "right about... HA! There!"

Ford pointed to the area in front of them, where there wasn't a ground, but rather a sizable bog spotted with ferns and other soaked plants.

"What are you expecting to find in this swamp? I thought you said we were looking for a flower."

"We are." Ford reassured as he folded up the map and dug out a book from under his longcoat. "It's a rare breed of flowers in the lotus family. If legend is to be believed, this plant is not native to this island. According to the myths in this book, the first person who harvested this plant hid it away after it was deemed forbidden in its homeland. Perhaps studying its genetic code will allow us to find this mysterious place."

"Yeah, but what does it look like?"

"It should look like any lotus pad, but the flower is bits of yellow and orange with red tips... sort of a fiery pattern. Now, since neither of us are too eager to just jump into the swamp, I brought something that might help us fish it out in...stead..." Ford was shuffling through his satchel when he noticed Stan trudging forward into the bog, having stripped down to his tank top and boxers, and descend into the murky waters. "...or you could just jump into the swamp."

"Gonna have to do this the simple way if we're wanna get out of here faster!" Stan bellowed with flustered determination.

Ford could only watch Stan as his strides carried him away, until the sight of him was swallowed up by the mist. The distant swishing of the grainy waters was the only way he could tell Stan was still moving.

"Do you see anything?" Ford called out, trying to collect himself after his brother's willingness to enter the bog left him utterly perplexed.

There was a delay in his response "I think I found it!"

"Yes! Now I only need the flower."

It didn't take long for Stan's silhouette to appear again. He pushed himself up out of the bog, much dirtier and wetter than before he entered, and shoved the flower into Ford's chest.

"Bouquet for the princess." He deadpanned sarcastically before going to pick up the cloths he discarded. Ford watched him with bewildered interest.

"You... jumped into the swamp." Ford stuttered. It was the only thought he could process at the moment.

"Yeah, it's something I had to pick up on when I was living out of Louisiana for a bit, after...um..."

...after we were separated, Ford finished the thought. He hadn't even spoken it, yet the exact instant Stan fell silent was as potent as a knife piercing his chest.

Ford looked down at the flower, trying to distract himself from the thoughts of their turbulent past. Taking a glance at the lotus blossom for the first time, he noticed how unusual it truly was. Outside of this environment, it might have looked like any other plant of its genus, but it had been worn down. The petals were blemished by the bog's grime. The scarce sunlight had dulled its color. To the unsuspecting, it looked malnourished, as if it was dying, but Ford knew that it had taken on this form to adapt to its environment. It was actually quite a miracle, how he had been purged from his family, from his home, and forced to live in this mire, and somehow prevailed. He still lived...

"Anyway, we headin' back or what?"

...It was when Stan started talking again that Ford realized his observations about a simple flower had phased into thoughts about his brother. Just like that, Ford's intricate mind was connecting dots and drawing parallels, and lately he noticed how many of them were centered around Stan.

"Actually, there's a whole different side of the island still left to explore. Besides you need to take a bath before you even think about getting back on the boat." Ford chuckled as he stored away the plant in a glass container.

"Take a bath? On this cruddy island?"

"Not here, but we should be able find some fresh water on the other side of the island. There's an ocean current that blows onto the island from the east, but the mountain range in the center of the island blocks most of the moisture from reaching the western side, so all the rain and humidity just piles up on the eastern half, which is the side we're currently on. Now, to get there we could just follow the coastline, but hiking across the mountain would be the shorter method, though that's also...

"Mountain it is..." Stan declared as he pushed past Ford and headed in some random direction.

"Stanley, do you even know if that's the right way?"

"I'm pretty sure."

Ford's hands flopped to his side in confusion, contemplating what had brought on his brother's impulsive actions. He had to wonder if Stan had any more surprises for the day, and whether or not he was looking forward to that.

* * *

They spent the next hour on an uphill trek towards the mountain. For each passing minute, more sunlight began to seep through the fog as it grew thinner. Ford was able to breath easier knowing the journey would be less treacherous with a clearer field of vision.

They came to a crossroads on the path along the side of the mountain when Ford stopped to observe their surroundings. The first path was a continuation of the road they were currently on. The other path lead into what looked like a cave. The area they were in was sprinkled with very thin vegetation, giving way to a more rocky terrain. The air was cooler here, but only noticeably. Ford had been successful in navigating them along the lower altitudes.

"If we stay along this path, we should pass through a gorge in the mountain range. That'll take us straight to the other side of the island without... Stanley, what are you doing?"

Sure enough, Stan took it upon himself to head towards the cave.

"Stanley, that's not the right way."

"I know, but a little detour never hurt right? Maybe I'll find something interesting."

"How do you know?"

"I don't. That's exactly what makes it exciting!"

Ford threw up his hands, having no choice but to follow him. He walked up to the threshold of the cave and stopped. Looking inside, he noticed light filtering in from above, and Stan staring around a bend in the path.

"It's a crevice, in the mountain," Stan called towards him. "There's a tunnel here and I can see the end of it. I'm gonna find out what's out there."

"Wait!" Ford shouted as Stan disappeared around the bend, and took off after him, "Seriously, Stanley, what's gotten into you. You're being unusually impulsive today."

He followed the bend and saw the tunnel give way to a light at the end. He broke out into a run, pursuing his brother, as a wind draft slammed against his face. Though the trail was cold and dark, he could start to feel adrenaline pump through his body. It was... familiar. Nostalgic. For a moment he could imagine himself running across the beach, alongside his brother, In the days of their youth.

A feint echo of laughter rang through the tunnel.

The end of the trail gave way to a clear sky. When the twins stopped running, they found themselves on a cliff, overlooking what looked to be the entire eastern side of the island and allowing them to see the path they'd taken thus far in a new prospective. Wisps of fog bended and ribboned over the damp forests stretching almost all the way to the sea. The early afternoon sun beamed over the hanging clouds. The fog seemed to slow-dance in the light, like heavenly spirits whisking and tumbling over the land, juxtaposed under the clearest blue sky they had ever seen.

All they could do was soak in the sight, each of their breaths stolen from their lungs, but for different reasons. Ford was amazed that something so worn down and rusted could still glisten like an untouched paradise.

Stan was thinking something else. Something that compelled him to grab his brother's hand. His gentle touch elicited a small gasp from Ford as his muscled fingers wrapped around the six-fingered hand of his twin.

Just like that, the mountains, the forest, the fog, the sky... everything seemed to fade as Ford's eyes were drawn to Stan. He absorbed the sight of his brother, and saw the island's essence reflected in him. He saw a worn, rusted, jaded man, covered in the haze of an honestly troubled life, and saw how he could still shine so brightly and brilliantly under the light. How he could still smile so radiantly.

Ford smiled himself, wondering if his brother was thinking the same thing.

Stan was full of surprises that day, and Ford decided that he liked that.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's hardly any horizon Ford won't seek out, and his own brother proves to be the most interesting one yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally got it done. The fic I wrote for stanpining's birthday finally gets a second chapter. This officially makes the first multi-chaptered fic I've ever finished. This is also the first Stancest smut I've posted. Yay for being certified sin-ship trash!

Crossing over the mountain range onto the western side of the island was quite a literal breath of fresh air for Stan and Ford. They descended the mountain into delicate hills of evergreen pine forests, not too different from the wilderness areas in and around Gravity Falls. Once they got to less rugged ground, they began to head north.

"With any luck, we'll intersect one of the streams running westward down the mountain." Ford had reasoned.

It wasn't too long before they found a river, tucked picture perfectly within the trees. Ford believed this to be the end of their journey, but Stan had other ideas.

"Looks shallow enough." Ford assessed. "What do you think?"

"Do you hear that?" Stan interjected setting his sights upstream, in the direction of the mountain. Ford tried to listen, but before he could detect anything, Stan was already walking towards whatever was in the distance.

All Ford could do was smile knowingly and follow him.

Soon enough, Ford could hear a rumbling sound as they inched closer. Though he allowed Stan to lead the way, he didn't trail behind him. He chose to walk beside him. He wanted to be right at his brother's side when he made his discovery. He wanted to go into the unknown. He wanted this journey.

He wanted this... he _always_ wanted this. Walking shoulder to shoulder with his brother on an island far away from any civilization, he knew that now more than ever.

The rumbling water became more intense, as the canopy opened up to reveal a pond on the underside of a cliff, and a waterfall feeding into the river. The falling water glistened perfectly in the rays of the westward sun, sunlit mist rising and skimming the cliffside.

Stan gave a whistle of amazement.

"It's hard to believe this island is uninhabited." Ford mused.

"You're tellin' me. I could turn this into a tourist attraction and make a fortune!"

"You could probably do it, you know." Ford chuckled.

"Yeah, but... I've got other plans right now," Stan sighed contently. "That one that involves a brother, a boat, and sailing across the ocean... been putting that one off for too long."

And just like that, Stan once again found that subtle way to let Ford know what he was thinking. He too, had everything he could ever wish for, and he wanted Ford to know that. After a lifetime of blood, sweat, tears and loneliness, he was content. He was happy. He was smiling. Even still covered in the mud and grime of the swamp, his smile was still so radiant. God, his smile. He never realized just what a beautiful and wholesome thing it was. Just like he was uncovering this island with each step he took, he was discovering a new side of the brother he'd known for more than sixty years.

"Well, I'm not gettin' any cleaner standing right here," Stan snarked as he started towards the water's edge. Ford simply watched him, only faintly aware of just how enamored he'd become with the mere presence of his brother. Stan was now standing in front of him. He saw the hanging cliffs, the shining waterfall, the rising mist, and all of it's reflection in the pond... and Stanley. He turned back to Ford, smiling at him as he motioned for him to join him. Taking in the sight was like opening up a gate to heaven.

Ford joined his brother's side, stopping on the grainy surface where the ground met the water, and unpacked there.

"Those rocks sticking up in the middle of the pond... means the water's shallow." Ford observed as he stripped himself down to his undergarments "Perfect for a bath."

"You look like you're going for a dip in the pool." Stan observed, also removing his cloths as he looked at Ford.

"What do you mean by tha-"

Ford was hit with quite possibly the biggest surprise of the day when he looked up to the sight of his brother standing in the nude.

"Nothing like an uninhabited island paradise to let yourself loose, eh Sixer?"

There were very few things that could short circuit a mind as smart at Stanford Pines'. Seeing his brother flashing a wolffish grin at him while standing in front of him stark naked was one of those things.

As Stan walked across the sand and descended into the lake, Ford heard a satisfied breath escape from him. He didn't follow him into the water, yet. He couldn't do anything but stare. He found the longer he kept his eyes on him the more enamored he became. A normal person might be repulsed by the naked form of their sixty-year-old brother. But Ford had spent his life studying things, and studied his brother he did.

He slowly realized he didn't exactly dislike what he saw. Stan was built like a boulder... an old, grey, rugged boulder. Though he put on quite a bit of chub in his center, his chest was rather muscular and broad, giving him a burly, bearish figure. His large, meaty arms could clearly punch through bricks. The moment Ford saw the water trickling down the muscles on Stan's back as he bathed himself, he started to feel a tightness in his undergarments.

Ford looked back on the pile of clothes to his side as he crossed an arm over his chest, and realized his heart was beating faster. He couldn't deny it. He was completely enamored by his own brother. He had discovered a new side of him that day, and he wanted to explore it more intimately. He was only somewhat surprised with how comfortable he was with that thought. A person with more principle might be scared, or even disgusted with their self for lusting after their own brother. But Ford was more of a man of science than principle. _It's just chemistry_ , he thought.

So he stood up and let the last articles of his clothing pool around him. He swung his feet across the sand and trudged into the pond, but he hesitated to approach Stan. He certainly had thoughts of... surprisingly welcome things, but thoughts were not the same as actions. Surely Stan wouldn't agree with those actions...

Ford's mistake was thinking Stan was out of surprises.

Stan gave him another glance and noticed his brother had barely entered the water. Ford tried to read his expression.

"What are you staring at?" Stan asked with a teasing, knowing tone in his voice as he rolled his large shoulders. "Like what you see?"

"I wouldn't tell you if I did." Ford snapped, trying his hardest not to stutter on his response.

"So is that a yes?"

"Whatever strokes you're ego, Stanley. Look, I know what you're trying to do, and it's not gonna work."

"All I'm saying is you ain't gotta be scared."

"Are you serious?"

"There's no one else here." Stan noted, holding his arms out before turning away from from him and continuing to bath himself. Ford knew he was only provoking him, but he couldn't be sure whether Stan was throwing him for another loop or indulging in some twisted sense of humor. It was a rather endearing paradox; despite being the one person who knew Stan more than anyone else, his brother was also the most confusing person he knew.

Still, Ford decided he might as well entertain the invitation, but not before conjuring up his own little "surprise". He stepped into the pond, inching slowly towards his brother. With Stan's back still turned towards him, he held his arms out once he was in arms reach of him and jumped on his back. Stan stumbled forward under the unexpected weight of his brother. Ford heard Stan grunt in surprise before taking them both tumbling and splashing into the pond.

"You should have been careful what you ask for, Stanley." Ford boasted as he held Stan's body under the surface, but he immediately felt his brother pushing back against him. Ford tried to keep him pinned down, but Stan sprung back to his feet with the strength of a cannon. Ford lost his grip and fell backwards into the water. He resurfaced to the sight of Stan looming over him with his signature mischievous grin.

"I'll get you for that, Sixer." Stan growled, his tone mock-threatening.

"Oh no!" Ford laughed as he crawled away from him in the water. Once he was back on his feet, he ran past Stan toward deeper parts of the lake. Stan charged after him and tackled him into the water, but Ford slipped from his grasp as they were submerged.

Stan's eyes zipped across the surface, but Ford was nowhere to be found. He moved like a serpent, undetected under the water, exercising his heightened survival skills he picked up while traversing outside dimension. He moved silently in a circle around Stan, and at the most opportune moment, he shot up through the surface and caught his brother in a choke hold.

"How's that for a surprise!" He shouted triumphantly as Stan tried to fight him off, but he only melted into fits of laughter under Ford's grip. It was sudden and rough, but Ford could hear the fullness and sincerity of it. He loosened his grip and pressed his hand to Stan's chest. It quaked with his laughter, as if it was literally pulsating from his heart. Ford became lost in Stan's contagious joy and he too began to laugh. Their shared euphoria floated across the pond as they relished in the providence of this isolated paradise. There was no one else, no distractions, and no worries to take this moment away from them.

Even after their laughter had faded away, Ford still held onto his brother. The sensation of his hand pressing against the hair on his broad chest was... welcoming. He never thought Stan's chest hair would be this soft. He started getting carried away. His hand began to wander. Stan's chest... it felt nice. Very nice.

Too nice.

That's when Stan felt it, the result of Ford's reckless eagerness, pressing against his thigh.

"Gettin' a little excited, aren't you Sixer?" Stan chuckled, more characteristic of himself this time, though there was an enticing edge in his voice. Ford's body locked in place. Ford had to extinguish the redness in his face before Stan had any chance to see it.

Before Ford could pull his hands away, Stan had already unraveled himself from Ford's touch and turned around to face him. Ford hesitated at first, but he allowed his gaze to reach his brother's eyes. Stan's expression was hard to read. He was smirking, yellow teeth showing and all, but his lips were curled up strangely, not like he was smiling, but rather he was thinking.

Ford became too caught up in trying to decipher Stan's intent, he hadn't realized he had been slowly inching closer to him. Stan was suddenly very close, his grin gone and replaced with an expression of serious intent, and his large, calloused hand came up to his face. Ford's heart beat in anticipation, but Stan didn't give him time to prepare.

Stan's mouth began to ravage his lips. Ford made no hesitation to welcome his tongue inside. Before he could even process the fact that Stan was kissing him, his brother's massive arms were pulling him into his broad chest. Ford broke contact with Stan's lips and brought his mouth onto the muscled crook of his neck. His warm breath kicked Stan into overdrive and he strengthened the embrace, grinding Ford's groin against his own.

It all seemed so surreal, Ford could hardly believe any of it was happening. It was only for a fraction of a second the thought that this was wrong - that he shouldn't be doing this with his brother of all people - crossed his mind. He quickly brushed it off, too caught up in the act to care, and there was no one else there to see them anyway. He felt too great a desire to explore his brother's more intimate, passionate side. In his mind, it was like just another experiment. Another island to discover, a mountain to trek, or a diamond to uncover.

Ford's body was suddenly very hot, wildly enticed by feeling Stan's cock grind against his skin. His hand moved down and wrapped Stan's erection against his own. He could feel each other's warm lust pulsating in his touch. Stan released a sharp breath as he watched Ford stroke their shafts together. He moved his hand faster, wanting to hear Stan succumb to his desire.

"Fuck!" Stan tilted his head back and growled as Ford's hand kept stroking them together. Ford's free arm wrapped around his back and he pressed tightly against Stan's torso. The way his muscles contracted and rubbed against his skin as he breathed into his neck set his lust ablaze.

He felt Stan's thick fingers grazing his entrance. It was a sublime thing, letting Stan's desire drive his own anticipation. He was eager to let Stan inside of him. It was clearly what Stan wanted, but for moment his hand simply lingered.

He brought his lips close to Stan's ear. "Do it... fuck me!"

Ford barely finished those last two words before Stan grabbed him up in his arms. He approached the rock in the center of the pond and positioned Ford on his back across the slanted surface. Stan's muscled fingers immediately began to work, and Ford made no hesitation to give Stan full control over him. His hand grazed and stroked Ford's throbbing shaft, before bringing his finger down to his ass. Ford felt his touch approaching his entrance and spread his legs out further as the eager warmth in his core became unbearably hot. A single one of Stan's fingers eased inside of him, as Ford so hotly anticipated, and he threw his head back and seethed through the intense wave of pleasure and pain. His entrance burned around the calloused rod as Stan slipped in a second finger.

"...huh...oh..." Ford moaned as his heart was wrapped in fire. His breath ran past a pace he could control, and he feared that his old heart might give out (he wasn't unhealthy by any means, but the shear pleasure of Stan's touch was just too fucking intense). Stan noticed his franticness and placed his free hand on the center of his arched chest. The pressure of his hand was strong, but gentle all the same.

But as the hand on his chest calmed his racing heart, the other hand slowly curled its fingers up to message his prostate. He maneuvered and coordinated his hands deliberately to keep Ford teetering on the edge of comforting pleasure and ravenous loss of control.

Ford's breathing was running away from him by the second, letting Stan know he was close to release, but he wasn't done with him. Stan pulled out his fingers. Despite the pain, a feint whine slipped past Ford's lips from the loss of contact, but Stan wasted no time getting ready to finish him off. He lifted Ford off the rock and sat down in his place. He lightly held up his own cock in a deliberate movement to entice. Ford understood the invitation and climbed over Stan's lap, positioning himself over his shaft. He shifted down and felt Stan slide inside of him, warm precum and all. One glance at Stan saw him grinning wickedly as he laid his muscled hands against Ford's thighs and began to thrust in rhythm.

"Uh... Stanley... fuck... fuck, oh!"

His hands moved up Ford's back, crawling over scars and tattoos and the sensitive skin of his torso as the pace of his thrusts increased. Ford threw his head back and rolled his neck and breathed hot lust through he teeth as Stan fucked him thoroughly. Fiery pleasure seared from his entrance and through his core, and Stan had the perfect view of Ford's chest and all of his throbbing muscles and his chest hair and scars and God, Ford looked so hot riding his cock.

Stan's muscled fingers grazed Ford's nipple, sending electric stimulation across his skin. Ford placed his own hand on Stan's and pressed it to his chest. He needed his brother's hands to get to his release, which he was fast approaching.

"You really like these hands, don't you Sixer? ...ah, you're really gonna like my cum your ass."

Ford opened his eyes and loomed over his brother, breathing down his neck as a fountain of dirty talk started to flow into his ear in that husky voice.

"Uh, you're gonna be reeling from this one, Poindexter. I've got a fuckin' load..." 

Ford couldn't help but reciprocate. He'd long abandoned any shred of self control. He'd givin' every bit of himself to his brother, and fuck if he wasn't on cloud nine. "I want it all, Stanley. Give me all of it... fuck!"

Stan eagerly grabbed Ford's cock as his thrusts reached their fastest pace. Warm precum leaked over his brother's hand.

"Fuck! Oh, fuck yes! Stanley!"

"Here it fucking comes!" Stan growled as he gave just several more thrusts into his brother before shooting all of his substance up Ford's ass. "Fuck!"

Ford could only respond with unintelligible grunts as warm streams of cum filled him up. His body convulsed all at once and forced his released. Stan arched his back as buckets of Ford's white fluid spilled over his chest.

"Ah! ...Stan- huh... fu..." Ford grabbed his brother's bicep as he loomed over him, their lips only inches apart, close enough to feel the other's lingering desire splash against their faces. "Woa... heh... woo..."

"Well, hah... I didn't know you were such a wildcat, Stanford... shit..."

"You've got your surprises... heh... and I've got mine."

"I've got to say... huh... your surprises... I could get used to them."

Ford brought an end to his "experiment" by closing the distance between their lips one more time. They traded each other's lingering warmth, but this kiss was softer than the last. When Ford pulled himself away, he met with Stan's gaze and saw endearment in his eyes, though the added smirk made the expression more natural coming from Stan.

"I think we should stay here a bit longer," Stan mused out loud as he casually leaned back on the rock, "Kick back on this island for a day or two. What do you think?"

"Tired of sailing?" Ford asked as he sat down beside him.

"No, of course not, it's just... what's the rush, you know?"

"I suppose. Surely, this island has more secrets left to explore. There's more to it than meets the eye."

"You know who says things like that? Nerds."

"Nerd's make discoveries, Stanley. I never know what else might be hiding in front of me."

Ford said those words as his gaze lingered on Stan with clear fondness. Staying on the island was admittedly an appealing option. Just as the island still held its secrets - just as an exotic flower lie hidden in the mire - there were still secrets about his own brother he had yet to discover.

He was eager to start exploring again.


End file.
